for here not only the master shall be able to encounter with a servant, or a servant with a master, fit for each other, when both have given up their names, and the tenor of their desires, with the places of their abode, to the registers of the office; but, by the collection and observation of all things profitable to be improved for the publick use, much matter of employment will be produced and found out, which now is not at all thought upon. When poor workmen or tradesmen come to a great city, such as London is, in hope of getting employment; if they fail of their expectation, or meet not with the friends upon whom they did rely, they betake themselves to begging, or sometimes to far worse courses, which brings them to a miserable end; but if, instead of their particular expectation and friends, they can betake themselves to one, that can give them address to that employment which in the commonwealth can be found for them; they not only may be preserved from beggary and misery, but become useful unto their neighbour.

Hitherto we have spoken of the office, and the usefulness thereof in respect of the end. Now we shall come to the matters whereof registers should be kept in the office for information and address, to satisfy all men's desires.

The desires of men are infinite, in respect of the circumstances; and therefore it is not to be expected that a particular enumeration thereof should be made. We must reflect upon the principal heads whereunto all may be referred, that when particulars are offered they may be brought into their proper places in the registers, where they may be found in due time for information and addressess of one towards another.

There be two kinds of registers or inventories of address: some are of things which are perpetually the same, and always existent in the society of mankind in general, and in a distinct commonwealth, kingdom, province, and city in particular; and others are not perpetual but changeable registers, containing all matters of daily occurrence between man and man to be imparted.

The matters, whereof the perpetual and unchangeable registers should give information to such as may enquire after the same, are chiefly these:

1. For such as would know concerning any thing extant in the world, what hath been said or written of it, the standing register should contain a catalogue of all catalogues of books, whereunto the inquisitor may be referred to seek out whether or no he can find any thing written of the matter whereof he doth make inquiry in any of those catalogues, and the office should have one or more copies of each of those catalogues, to which the register of catalogues should refer them to make their search.

2. For such as should make inquiry concerning this kingdom, to know the situation of any of the provinces, shires, counties, cities, towns, villages, castles, ports, and such like places; the office should have Speed's Description of this Kingdom, and Mercator, or others, to refer them thereunto.

3. For such as would desire to know, what publick officers and

employments, and what particular trades are of use in this state; the office should shew a register thereof.

4. For such as would know what families and persons of eminent note and quality are in the kingdom, for birth, or for place and employment, or for abilities and singular personal virtues; the office should shew who they are, and what their property is, and where to be met withal.

5. For such as desire to know the standing commodities of the kingdom; what they are in the whole, and what peculiar to every place? How they are transported from place to place? Where and when the markets thereof are kept? And how to get intelligence of the particular prices thereof? The office should have registers for informa tion of all this.

6. For such as desire to know what commodities are imported from foreign parts constantly into this kingdom? Where, and at what times to be found? With information concerning the prices thereof; the office should be able to give notice hereof.

As for the matters of daily occurrence, which, by reason of circumstances, are changeably to be taken notice of, and differently to be proposed, as offered from one man to another, or desired by one from another, for mutual accommodation; the registers thereof must be divided into several books, and the books into chapters, to whose heads all matters of that kind should be referred.

The titles of these books should be at least these four: 1. One for the accommodation of the poor. 2. Another for the accommodation of trade, commerce, and bargains for profit. 3. A third for the accommodation of all actions, which proceed from all relations of persons to each other, in all estates and conditions of life. 4. A fourth for ingenuities, and matters of delight unto the mind, in all virtues and rare objects.

These four registers may be distinguished and intituled, from the properties of their subjects, thus: the first should be called the Register of Necessities, or of Charity: the second, of Usefulness, or of Profit; the third, of Performance, or of Duties: and the fourth, of Delights, or of Honour. And to these heads all human occurrences, wherein one man may be helpful to another, may be referred, if not very directly, yet in some way, which will be without difficulty understood, and fit to avoid confusion in the matters of the registers.

Now we shall come to each of these books in particular, to shew the matters of accommodation which shall be contained therein, for publick and private service.

I. The Register for the Poor.

THE heads of chapters, unto which all matters of accommodation for the poor may be referred, are these:

1. Counsels and advices to be given concerning the means, whereby the poor may be relieved, by being set at work, and employed, if they be strong; or, in case of sickness and want of employment, how to facilitate the provision of lodging, cloathing, food, and entertain

ment for them: here, with the particular expedients which shall be suggested, a note of the names of those that do suggest them shall be registered, and, if they desire it, a certificate given unto them to attest what they have suggested.

2. The list of the names of the poor, viz. the number of those that are entertained, and how they are provided for already in several places. Secondly, the names of such, as have no provision made for them, shall be enrolled in the list of the poor to be entertained, when they come with a certificate of their condition to the commissioners for the poor, and have made their case known unto them: where a special respect is to be had to the poor that are shame-faced, and want confidence to put forth themselves to be objects of publick or private charity.

3. The list of names of benefactors to the poor, whether in publick or private, that the poor who are enrolled may receive address, and go unto them for relief, or employment, as the way of their charity shall fall out, to be bestowed by themselves, or those whom they shall appoint to distribute it; for the office of address shall not meddle with the receipts or distribution of any money in this kind; but only with the names of the givers and receivers thereof, to notify the one to the other.

4. The names of physicians, apothecaries, and surgeons, who shall offer themselves to visit the poor in their sickness, to bring them some remedies, or give them advice what to do in point of diet, or otherwise for their health.

5. A list of experiments and easy remedies of diseases, which any shall be willing to impart for the good of the publick, and speedy relief of the diseased and poor, chiefly by the discoveries of the admirable effects of simples; shall be enrolled with the names of those that impart the same unto the physicians, surgeons, and apothecaries, who shall offer themselves to give attendance upon the poor in their sickness.

6. Because all persons, though otherwise never so rich in possessions, if they be under any grievous sickness or affliction, and can find no relief for it, are to be counted poor, and are objects of charity, if they will not be known by name, to be in such a case; the factum or circumstantial description of their case may be sent unto the office; and a memorial adjoined of some place or body who is to receive the answer of advice to be procured upon it; and the officer of the office of address shall cause an advice to be given by the physicians, who shall offer themselves for the assistance of the poor, and it shall be written at the bottom of the factum, or the description of the case.

7. In case any would have, in matters of difficulty in law business, the impartial advice of eminent counsellors upon the case which by word of mouth they themselves are unwilling to declare; they may take the like course: or, if they would know the judgment of other advocates and counsellors not formerly interested in the matter, whether it doth agree with that which hath been given to them, by those whom they have made use of; they may, without expressing of their own, or others names, make use of the address which the office shall be able to give them in like manner.

8. And in case, either for want of judgment or experience, they know not how to set down their cases and factums circumstantially; the office will be able to give them address to such as shall do it for them, with all secrecy and faithfulness.

9. In case there be any who, by reason of poverty or other necessities and unavoidable hindrance, cannot pursue their rights and just interests in law; the office will be able to address them unto some, that shall undertake the pursuit of the business for them by right; or else make an amiable composition and transaction of the matter, for their best advantage, with their adversary on their behalf.

10. The list of poor scholars, who have made some beginning in learning, and with a little matter of assistance might be inabled to perfect their course, and become useful in their way to the publick, shall be kept by itself; that, when the names of such as shall offer to be helpful unto such shall be notified, they may be addressed unto them.

11. The list of strangers, who are going to their country, and are objects of charity here; also of our own countrymen who, being strangers in distress elsewhere, or captives under the Turks, are objects of charity, and may by their friends here seek for help upon good certificates of their condition, and of the means of sending the relief which shall be procured unto them.

12. Because the publick state and society of a commonwealth is often times in a course of poverty, and want of many things, and is an object of great charity in several respects, a list shall be kept of all the memorials or offers, which may be made by any for the ease of inconveniencies befalling thereunto, or for the advantage and benefit, which may be procured thereunto in a publick way; and, the authors names and places of abode being known, they shall by the means of the officer of address be directed to such as will be most able to promote the execution thereof; and if they be absent a great way from London, or from the place of supreme government, where all proposals of that kind are to be considered, without putting themselves to the charges of a great journey at adventure, the matter may be prosecuted in their name by some in whose hands the officer of address may put it; and a deserved recompence may be by him procured unto the author of the advice and proposal, out of the benefit, which thence may accrue unto the publick.

II. The Register of Commerce and Bargains.

THE heads of chapters, whereunto matters of commerce may be referred in the way of trading, are distinguished into the kinds of commodities whereof bargains are made, and into the cases and ways of making bargains about these commodities.

The chapters of commodities.

First, The chiefest of all commodities, because it doth give a common valuation to all other things, is money; the office then shall give infor mation and address:

1. What the species and sorts of coin extant here and elsewhere are in silver and gold? What their weight and valuation is ?

2. What the course of exchange is amongst merchants for all places of trade, and how it doth change from time to time, towards Holland, France, Spain, Germany, &c.

Secondly, The most necessary of all commodities is food; to this head the office doth refer for information and address all particulars of meat and drink.

1. Of meats the list doth contain all vegetables serving for that use; as wheat, barley, rye, oats, pease, beans, rice, and all corn and grains, and pulse, and every thing of that kind, and all fruits and roots fit for food, to shew what the rates thereof are, and where they are to be had.

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2. All living creatures in the earth, air, and waters, beasts, fowls, and fishes; the office shall give the address to the place, where they are to be bought, and shew the ordinary rates thereof in the several parts of the kingdom.

3. Of drinks, as wine, beer, ale, cyder, perry, mead, strong waters, and what else is of this kind, the office will let you know where to have your choice, and at the best rates.

4. Item, the list of the places and rates, at which men may diet themselves, either wholly, or by meals, as an ordinary.

Thirdly, Next to food is physick, and all drugs and wares which are used as ingredients thereunto, as spices and herbs; and all apothecaries wares, whether simples or compounds; and all grocers commodities, serving either for food or physick, the office shall let where, and at what rates they are to be had.

you know, Fourthly, Unto the preservation of life and health, doth belong also cloathing of all sorts of cloth and stuff; silks, and woollen, linnen, and cotton of each kind: the list of ordinary rates, and the place where they are to be found, is to be shewed.

Fifthly, Houses in the city or country to be lett or sold, and lodging chambers, furnished or unfurnished, with their rates, are to be shewed also.

Sixthly, The commodities of lands and inheritances, and leases of farms and mannors, which are to be bargained for in any kind, are to be brought to their proper places for information to such as would enquire after them.

Seventhly, All manner of moveables and houshold stuff, for the ease and convenience of life, are to be listed with the rates at which they are to be sold, for such as shall desire present accommodation.

Eighthly, Whole shops of goods or such commodities as are not to be found in shops, as coaches, litters, carts, with all their furniture, ships, boats, woods, and such like, which the owners would not put to sale, should be found in their proper places for the information of buyers.

Ninthly, Libraries, and booksellers shops, according to their several kinds: item shops of paper and parchment, and all wares of this kind, with their rates, are to be found under this head.